Undertale: Chronicle - 11: The Crossroads Part 1: Red Sky At Dawn
by TheOriginalTale
Summary: The clouds break, and the rain that follows will be polluted with blood and dust. The beginning of the end of the Undertale: Chronicle Saga
1. Lightning

Settling back into the truck's seat, the driver took a deep breath. The diesel engine growled ominously as it inched forward in the line of cars. Before them loomed the border crossing. A large LED sign beside him read "Welcome to Gouven! International visitors are not welcome." Ever since Victor Redgate had declared war at the Summit with Klazun, other nations had joined him, those nations being Yokall, Hocren, Daika, Gouven, and Meslux. Those nations now prepared to close their gates to outsiders. A great challenge to overcome, yet somehow Matthias was optimistic it could be done.

The truck lurched forward again, slowly rolling up to the crossing point. From inside the booth a guard peered into the truck, meeting his eyes with the driver.

"Passport." The driver leaned out of the window, handing it to the guard, then looked straight ahead. Beneath the window, his hand tapped a holster. The guard frowned slightly.

"What are you carrying, mister...Charlston?"

The driver glanced over his shoulder. "Just some supplies, steel, you know. The usual."

The guard glanced up to him, then stepped out from his booth. "I'll need to check the back. Stay in the truck, please."

The driver took a breath. As the guard began to walk back, the driver opened the door, slipping his piece out of the holster as he hopped off the truck. The guard turned around.

"Hey! I told you to stay in the truck!" He put a hand on his sidearm. Before the guard could act, the driver whipped his own pistol out, two gunshots ringing out as the bullets slammed into the guard's chest. The guard collapsed, groaning as he writhed. All around, others screamed in terror, fleeing from their vehicles. The driver walked to the back of the truck, tugging the doors open.

"We're clear."

Undyne smirked, standing up. She led the group out of the truck. Another guard exited from the building next to the border crossing.

"Sound the alarm!" he called.

Undyne quickly raised her gun, letting out a spray. The guard collapsed, and a second later a siren began letting out a loud wail.

"We've got to shut that alarm off! That alone could attract more attention then we can manage!" she shouted over the din.

The ten soldiers kept their guard up as they slunk towards the building. Undyne took point as they approached the door. She tried the door. Locked.

"C4!"

"C4, coming up," a third soldier replied, brushing past the others. Undyne and the rest of the company backed up, watching as the monster wired the small charge to the door. Soon the monster sprinted back with them, a button clutched in his hand.

"Ready, going in three...two...one..._BREACH!_" He pushed the button, a loud bang sounding from the charge as it exploded. The doors were blown open. Undyne rushed forward, poking around. One of the border guards lay dead in front of the door, having been too close to the blast. She was not given much time to think, the group taking automatic rifle fire as they entered. Undyne ducked behind one of the customs desks.

Bullets whizzed past, striking the wooden desk, sending splinters flying. One of the soldiers rushed through the door too late, and faced a spray of gunfire. In an instant, all that remained of the soldier was his armour and weapon. Undyne grunted as a splinter glanced off her shoulder. She knew the importance of securing the border crossing. They couldn't afford to get bogged down.

She tossed her rifle aside, taking out her side pistol. Her left hand curled into a fist, and a large shield slowly materialized over her left arm. The shield glowed a sharp turquoise, and was partially transparent. When there was a pause, she leapt over the desk, raising the shield in front of her.

Immediately, she saw half a dozen crossing guards taking shelter behind another desk. She advanced into the fray. The bullets pinged off the shield, only slightly slowing her progress. She poked her own pistol out of the side, quickly dispatching two of the guards. A quick flick to the right saw a third crumple. Behind her, the other soldiers began to tighten the noose. Another guard fell, leaving two remaining. She hopped over the other desk, the guards backing away.

The handgun fell from her grip, the shield dissolved. Before they could react, she swung at the guard just in front of her, following it up with a swift kick to the gut, sending the man sprawling onto the floor. A monster sprinted around her, gun pointed at the guard should he have tried anything.

An arm wrapped around Undyne's neck, yanking her back. Before she could react, the warm barrel of a pistol pressed against the back of her skull.

"_Back up, or she dies!_" the final guard yelled, using the captain as a shield between himself and the other soldiers. His eyes were wild and desperate as e backed himself into a corner, leaving no blind spots and no openings. Undyne took a deep breath, nodding to the others. With guns raised, they slowly backed up.

One monsters' eyes flicked to the ground for a split second as Undyne's fingers twitched. A blue circle appeared in the floor just underneath her captor. Her finger flicked up, and a spear followed its motion, stabbing through the guard. She grabbed the pistol before it hit the ground, firing twice at the body prone on the ground. Both shots met their mark, between the eyes.

One by one the soldiers lowered their firearms. One of the humans sprinted through a door, and in a moment the persistent wailing of the alarm ceased. Undyne cracked her neck, picking up her own weapons. The spear retracted into the ground and the circle disappeared, allowing the guard's body to drop. One of the other humans walked over to Undyne, huffing.

"That was a bit excessive. Two shots to the head? He had surrendered, he didn't pose a threat to us or the operation anymore."

"As long as our foe lives, they are a threat to us. You do not have the right to tell me what is excessive or not," Undyne grunted. "As memory serves me right, it was your ancestors that tried to exterminate us in the first place."

The soldier followed her as she walked to one of the computers. "Captain, with all due respect, that was centuries ago. There are _rules_ now. One of them goes against executing a surrendered and unarmed foe. What you did could land you in prison."

Undyne grabbed him by the collar. "In case you have forgotten, even with your little rules, they didn't fight fair the first time. What makes you so sure they'll change their minds now? For me...this war is a little personal." She gave him a firm jab, then turned back to the screen. "We have a job to do. I'm going to make sure it's done right."

The human glanced to the others, who had stopped to watch the interaction. With a helpless shrug, they went about securing the rest of the facility. Meanwhile, Undyne turned to a seperate channel on her radio.

"Piranha calling Coral Reef. Checkpoint Delta has been taken. We have clear access to the west."

"Excellent news, Piranha. The fourth army will be with you by nightfall."

With this, Undyne shut the radio off. She folded her arms in triumph. Thanks to some inside intel from their allies in Kralum, they had been able to secure multiple checkpoints along the border of Gouven. Now, they would hopefully be able to steamroll through to Daica. Undyne didn't spend much time pondering on this, instead turning around, beginning to make preparations to defend the crossing in the likely event of a counterattack.

* * *

"The Peacemakers saw their first success earlier today, taking several border crossings along the Gouven-Kralum border. This operation, known as "Lightning," has been an immense success…"

The drone of the news reporter was tuned out by Frisk as he mused from his wheelchair. 'Peacemakers'. He thought it was such a funny name. It was the name the countries fighting for monsters had decided on, those countries being Reston, Kralum, Estines, and Truseon. They had looked to Astren in the east for assistance, but the large country had made it adamant they wanted to remain neutral. Still, a funny name, since they were the ones now on the offensive.

War had been declared not more than two weeks prior, and already the armies were advancing into enemy territory. If they kept having these successes, they would be able to not just clear out the western countries, but also conquer the continent Ephin within just six months!

"So, if it's that easy, why are you here?" Frisk queried, glancing to the doorway, where Sans was suddenly leaned against the wall.

"just...wanted to pay you a visit."

"Come on. You and I haven't spoken much in this time," Frisk scoffed. "I know you wouldn't be here unless you needed something."

The skeleton shrugged. "i don't know. i just...every time i'm around you, i get all these...memories...flashes...it's never much, but it's a glimpse. sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. but, I get this feeling that in your time...we were...friends. am I wrong?"

Frisk gave an amused huff. "No, no you are not. You know, in that time, you ran your own podcast. You would spend an hour telling nothing but stupid jokes and puns. You'd even bring Toriel on occasionally."

Sans chuckled. "that sounds like something i'd do. guess i've just got a unique funnybone eh?"

Frisk rolled his eyes. "I guess...but seriously...why are you here?"

Sans paused, then walked over, standing by the chair. "in your time...did you ever see the ancient ruins? the ones where toriel used to live?"

Frisk's smile faded. "I...I did. They came up in Asgore's trial. In fact...that's how the news got out about my reset ability...they didn't show much, just that there was some directory to them...why?"

Sans rocked back on his heels. "us monsters...we have a little legend. 'there will be a day, when the light will return, but the light will not last. tt will be but a mere blink, a warning for the coming of death. but when the sky goes black with the smog of death, the angel will appear, and rain the heavens down on the earth.'"

Frisk shuddered. "That's...a bit ominous…"

"you're telling me...but in those ruins, there's an image of what I believe is the angel."

"So?"

"i don't know...it's probably nothing...but...the face on that angel...it...it kind of looks like yours. it just...got me thinking is all."

Frisk looked down, sitting in silence. He wasn't sure what to say to that. Truthfully, he had never seen such an image himself, even in the trials. He shivered again as an unusual cold washed over him, and a foul smell. The air stung, as if he had been pricked by needles. The air filled his lungs, and his breath hitched for a moment. He glanced to the window. The curtains were still, the window closed. He looked back to Sans, but the skeleton had disappeared.


	2. Premonition

_**AUTHORS NOTE**_

**I again have to apologize for my wonky upload schedule. I've been taking some time off just to deal with a couple personal things, as well as trying to figure out how I wanted to structure the latter portions of this story, as well as part two so it can be set up properly. I appreciate you guys for being so patient with me. I SWEAR ON THE BIBLE that I will try to keep a more constant upload pace!**

* * *

The constant drone of rotor blades filled the air. Undyne straightened herself, watching as the two helicopters slowly lowered, throwing up stray dust around the landing pads. Beside her stood Reston's highest general, Wyatt Stone. A temporary military compound had been established ten miles west of the Gouven-Kralum border and the checkpoint that Undyne had taken just one week prior.

Since then, the combined forces of Kralum, Estines, and Reston had continued their firm push westbound. However, Gouven expressed that they had no more desire to continue fighting in the war. In the words of the Gouven president, "I honestly thought it was a bluff."

This had sparked peace talks, and now Matthias was on his way to oversee the signing of a treaty that would give them clearance to move through Gouven territory towards Daica.

Undyne clutched her helmet tight to her left hip as the helicopter slid open. She blinked in surprise when Matthias stepped out, followed close behind by Asgore himself. To the prime minister and king she gave a quick bow of respect, before speaking.

"Your highness! I was not aware you would be visiting. I thought you were going to be overseeing the war from home?"

Matthias gave an exasperated sigh. "That...was the initial plan."

She glanced curiously to Matthias, then back to Asgore.

"I have decided to oversee a vast portion of the war effort myself from the ground," the king announced.

Undyne's eyes widened. "But...with all due respect, your majesty, is that really wise? My primary job is to protect you. I do not know if I can do that when I am in combat on the front lines!"

"That is one purpose for my temporary stop here Corporal Vernilot," Matthias interjected. The doors of the second helicopter opened, and five human soldiers stepped down, filing up behind Matthias, who stepped aside. Their outfits were darker then the standard military uniform, and she took note of a patch on the right shoulder of each, a raven's skull embroidered on the patch.

"This is Raven Company. They are a group of highly trained operatives. They are cold, ruthless, lethal, however you want to describe them. Based on your...actions...during the taking of the checkpoint just over a week ago, I have made the decision to place you in command of them."

Undyne's jaw dropped open as she looked back to the prime minister, who grinned proudly, and gave her a salute.

"I hope you will take your appointment well, First Sergeant Vernilot." She returned the salute.

"Minister Hemmingway has informed that with your new position, you will no longer fight on the front lines," Asgore stated. "You will instead undergo covert operations deep within the territory of our enemy. I...trust you can handle this?" He let out an amused chuckle, seeing the excited gleam in the new sergeant's eyes. Matthias nodded to the general, before walking back to the helicopter. The rotors started up again as he called out, nearly drowning out his words.

"I look forward to seeing what the new leadership will bring us!"

Undyne and Asgore both watched as the two helicopters rose up into the sky, before arcing back to the west, flying away.

"So, what now?" she asked the king.

Asgore walked past her, towards General Stone. "Now, captain...we go to work."

* * *

The pages rustled as they turned. Frisk leaned back in the wheelchair, a book in his lap. It wasn't terribly big, only about the size of that of a diary, however the information he found within it proved to be quite...fascinating. Ever since Sans had told him of the ominous prophecy over a week prior, he had requested a history book from the monsters dealing with the subject. It was turning out to be one of the more interesting reads he had come across.

Movement flickered in the periphery of his vision as an invisible breeze seemed to blow the patient lounge's curtains. He took a deep breath, slowly closing the book, and rested it down on a coffee table, spinning his chair around to face the Riverperson.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Frisk demanded. "I thought you said you couldn't interfere anymore."

"That was before-"

"Before what?" Frisk spat. "Before I discovered what else you had been keeping behind my back?"

Ausgrid huffed. "And here I thought I was beginning to make some progress with you…"

His tone grew louder. "You didn't think some ancient prophecy like _that_ would be important for me to know about?!"

"Frisk, it is not important that you know everything-"

"That is where you are wrong. I think at this point, I not only need to know everything, I'm _entitled_ to know everything. Last time I knew nothing, and look what ha-HUUURK!" A sharp grunt of pain cut off his words, his hands clutching the edges of the wheelchair. Ausgrid did and said nothing as Frisk leaned forward, wrapping his arms over his stomach. The phantom pains still plagued him, especially when he got riled up over something. He breathed deeply, regulating himself, and waiting until the pain shrank to a dull ache. His eyes looked defiantly toward the Riverperson.

"Who's the angel?"

The Riverperson was again quiet for several long seconds before replying. "I do not know."

Frisk chuckled. "Oh, see I think you do know. You know, I've been doing a lot of thinking about all of this...I think...the angel...is you. You're the one that holds enough power to bring the sky down on our heads, after all. I believe you're just waiting for things to hit rock bottom again, and then you'll swoop in, and save the day. You want to be the hero in your own story."

From the shadows of his hood, the Riverperson's tone grew irritated. "If that was truly my plan, Frisk, then why did I not do this the first time? You are emotionally distressed, and your logic is askew."

Frisk folded his arms. "Well, answer me this. Who am I fighting for? Am I really fighting for monsterkind?...Or am I fighting for _you_?"

The Riverperson's robes shifted, as he turned away slightly. "You are fighting for m-"

"No. You don't get to turn your back on me. You come over here, and you tell it to my face."

Ausgrid slowly faced the child again, and approached. He leaned over, and Frisk could feel the gaze beneath the hood staring into his soul. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, the Riverperson stood up.

"It is not so frequent that I am snuck up upon, Sans."

Frisk glanced behind the Riverperson, spying the skeleton standing in the doorway, a frown in his eyes.

"i'll take that as a compliment...what're you doing here?" Sans grunted.

The Riverperson chuckled. "Just visiting a little friend. However, I see that it is about time for me to make my leave. Frisk, I do love these...entertaining conversations of ours. Perhaps we shall have more of them once you are again willing to see reason."

He turned around, giving a curt nod to Sans as he brushed past him, exiting the room. Sans turned back to Frisk.

"why was _he_ here?"

Frisk continued to glare at the doorway where the Riverperson disappeared. "He's...an acquaintance from my time."

Sans gave a slow nod. "uh huh…" Silence reigned in the room. Despite not looking at Sans, he could tell that the skeleton was staring straight at him.

"Yes?"

"you know who he is under that hood, don't you…"

Frisk didn't respond. Sans shook his head. "look, there's a lot going on here that i'm not sure i understand. or at least, not entirely. but if there's something important...i need to know."

Frisk slowly turned his face to gaze at his friend. "If there's something that you need to know...I'll tell you."

Sans slipped his hands from his pockets. He walked over, and tugged down the left of his hoodie, showing Frisk his collarbone. Etched into it, was two digits. "9A"

"you know…" Sans began, "i don't like talking about my past...my earlier life. we were kept in the dark about a lot of things. doctor gaster refused to tell us much about the outside world. we barely understood that the outside world existed. do you know why? he told us it was to…'protect' us. really though, it didn't. when he...it just made it harder for us to fend for ourselves. alphys helped us...start over. in snowdin. if he had just been more open...it could have made things a lot easier. so trust me when i say, if there's something i need to know...you better speak up, to help me, help you, fix things. are we clear?"

Frisk gave him a nod. "I understand...but I'm telling you, that isn't...something you need to know. You will find out soon enough. Just...not now."

Sans searched Frisk's gaze, trying to find any sort of hidden secret. Moments later, he yielded. He looked down to the book.

"how goes the reading?"


	3. Visitors

As soft footsteps walked up the pale hallway, a telephone's ring peeled out. Accompanying this was the insistent tapping of Alphys's claws on the marble floors. The scientist stuck close to the side of the queen, both of them following a doctor to the room. Said doctor glanced over his shoulder at the both of them as they approached one of the rooms.

"Remember, keep your voices quiet, and try not to do anything sudden. He's just a kid. I know what he's been saying but, well, you know by now."

Toriel nodded. "Of course, Doctor." After giving them one more suspicious glance, the doctor opened one of the doors, stepping inside. From the hall they could hear the short conversation.

"Hey, kiddo, got a couple people that want to see you. They say they're friends."

"Alright...not like I've got much else to do."

The queen managed to stifle her chuckle as the doctor reemerged, nodding at the two monsters before stepping aside to let them in. They walked into the room, just in time to see Frisk turn his wheelchair around from the window. A tired smile was upon the boy's face.

"Hey Toriel, Alphys."

Toriel gave a polite nod while Alphys waved shyly. Frisk leaned back in the chair, settling himself.

"Soooo...what's up today? Would have thought you two'd be pretty busy, what with what's going on over there…"

Toriel blinked. "There is a time and a place for everything. Right now, we just wanted to speak."

Frisk looked around the room, then shrugged. "Well, we're here now. What did you want to talk about?" Alphys sat on the edge of the bed while Toriel pulled up one of the other chairs in the room. She turned to Alphys, who piped up.

"W-Well, we were a-actually c-curious about what l-life was like! B-Before all of this th-that is. Where y-you came from!"

Frisk blinked in surprise, folding his hands in his lap. "Well...let's see here...Toriel. After you were freed, I was taken back to the orphanage that I lived in. I had wanted to stay with you. In the time I was from, you actually took care of me underground. You were the closest thing I had to a mother. You fought really hard for it, and finally you were allowed to adopt me. I lived with you until I moved out to go to university. While I lived with you, you started your own school, for both humans, and monsters. It was slow at first, but it quickly became very popular within the first five years.

"Alphys-" The scientist perked at her name. "-when you emerged, human scientists were fascinated with every piece of monster technology they could find. Including the CORE. You were more than happy to share your research. You became well-regarded in the science community. It was your work that helped bring about plasma technology, and you even utilized the CORE to power cities on the surface! There were even talks of constructing more models, before the war that is." He couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the broad smile spreading across Alphys's glowing face.

"What about you?" Toriel asked.

"What about me?"

"Yes. What did you do?"

Frisk took a deep breath. "Well, as I stated, I went to live with you. When I grew older, I went to university to study politics. I ended up becoming an ambassador and representative for his majesty. When the war began, word of my reset ability escaped. Minister Hemmingway put me under house arrest. He claimed it was for my own protection. He moved me to a safehouse in the middle of nowhere. There I stayed until the war was nearly at a climax. Then, I became a soldier..." His voice trailed away, and Toriel's gaze slowly turned to the floor. There was an awkward silence in the room, before Alphys squeaked again.

"F-Frisk...for d-doing what you've done...th-that makes you one of the b-bravest people I know. Wh-Which isn't saying much, I kn-know I'm an introvert, I don't g-get out much and-"

"Alph. It's fine." Frisk chuckled again. "Thank you." Toriel shook her head.

"This is wrong. All of this is wrong. Nobody should ever have to bear the responsibility that you have to bear."

Frisk exhaled. "Somebody has to do it though." More silence. Frisk's eyes looked to the door.

"You know...I always wonder. Of all the people in the world, why did it have to be me? I mean, I wasn't anybody special...I was some random kid. You would never have thought that I'd be the one to have to...I don't know, save the world? I guess? Can't see how I would do that anyway, seeing as I'm stuck in this stupid thing."

Toriel leaned forward, putting one of her hands on Frisk's. "You do not need to bear those responsibilities anymore my child. You have done very well. The military will handle the rest. I know they will."

"I know they will too...they will more than likely win with my extra knowledge, and they will be able to establish a new form of world order. One that is fair. Free…" He slowly looked to Toriel again. "But how many...monsters and humans alike...will needlessly die before it happens?"

O-o-o-o-o

A huff of air ruffled the pages of the old journal. The blue hooded skeleton remained hunched over in the armchair in his home, gazing down at the symbols messily scrawled across the yellowing pages. Sans let out a yawn, feeling his eyesockets grow heavy. The strain of reading the same pages, over and over again, was taking its toll. There had to be something missing. He knew it. Everything made so much sense, but at the same time, none of it made any sense at all.

He started at a soft rapping at the door. Setting the journal down on the coffee table, he wandered to the window, glancing outside. After seeing who it was, he moved to the door, letting Alphys inside.

"how'd it go?"

Alphys shrugged as she ducked inside. She was shivering. "F-Fine. Had an i-interesting talk. Wh-Why did you insist on l-living all the way out here in Snowdin? I-It's freezing!"

"i like the quiet."

Her gaze panned to the table, spying the journal. She walked past Sans, slowly picking it up.

"G-Gaster's journal!"

Sans nodded, following her into the living room. "mhm. brought it with me when we moved away from new iome. I thought maybe i'd be able to find some use for it."

She stared at the open pages, trailing one of her claws over the symbols before looking back up at him.

"These were his notes from...his project! You were trying to replicate them?"

"eh, i thought maybe i could bring him back. you know? didn't ever work out...i didn't know you read the language."

Alphys closed the book. "I'm not v-very good, I just st-studied some of his older n-notes in my spare time. Wh-What are you doing l-looking at them again?"

The skeleton flopped back down on the couch. "this whole business with resets...it's just got me thinking again. about soul creation, this, prophecy, everything else. i don't even know what to think anymore."

"Well...why don't we put our heads together o-on this? Maybe w-with help we could...get some form o-of cl-clarity."

Sans looked over to her. She could tell he was skeptical at first, but in the end, he sat up. "welp...what do we have to lose?"

O-o-o-o-o

The phone only rang once, before a click on the other end signalled that somebody was listening. The man glanced over his shoulder in the dark, keeping his voice low.

"First Sergeant Reese has been incarcerated. I think they might be on to us."

"Who leads the company?"

"One of theirs. Some weird fish lady. Sergeant Vernilot or something."

The voice on the other end chuckled, "Mmmmhmhmhmhm...this...this could play very well into our hands. Watch her close. Keep your cover. You remember your mission. Get close to the targets...and then eliminate them. I do not need to remind you what is at stake."

"No, sir, you do not."

"For the greater good," the voice barked.

"For the greater good." With this, he clicked the phone shut, stuffing it into his pocket. The soldier turned around, walking back to the encampment. The patch with the embroidered raven's skull glimmered in the moonlight on his uniform.


	4. Taking The Chance

"50,000 feet achieved," the flight controller reported. Taking up an entire wall of the command center was a massive television display, presently showing a complex HUD that relayed back from a recon drone high above the earth. Undyne leaned against the back wall with folded arms, occasionally glancing to Asgore, who stood with General Stone just behind the operator. She looked up as one of the Raven soldiers entered the building.

"Baker. Where've you been?"

Baker patted his pocket. "Sorry, just had to make a little phone call. Families and all that."

Undyne nodded, looking back to the screen. With every day, the joint forces of the Peacemakers pushed further and further into Daica. Treaties were already being proposed by Minister Hemmingway, who was anxious to end the war on Croania as soon as he could. Resistance was wavering with every battle, and the battles themselves continued to get shorter.

It didn't take long for Wyatt to realize that the Defenders were pulling back their forces. Both he and Asgore knew that they would be retreating from Croania to regroup on the continent Ephin, home turf of the Defenders. They were desperate to finish things on Croania, and assault Ephin before they could dig in too deep.

So far, just one major obstacle remained. A compound believed to be stockpiled with most, if not all, of the Defenders' nuclear arsenal. From the swiftness of the Peacemaker's strikes, they assumed that they would not be able to prepare the weapons to fire in time, however they did not want to take the chance.

"We're over the compound," the operator reported. With a flick of a button, the screen switched to a camera on the belly of the drone, staring straight down. The camera magnified, allowing as clear of an image as they could get from that high up. Undyne looked intensely at the image, frowning. The compound was larger than she thought it would be. Based on a concerned look from Wyatt, he thought the same. They noted three dozen silos built into the ground. Undyne shook her head.

"How many bombs you reckon are in those?"

Wyatt grunted, "One, usually. But that means they have three dozen bombs ready to go, and no telling how many more they have in reserve. No way to see from up here. Can you get us a better view of the outer defenses, son?"

The operator shook his head. "Sorry, sir, this is as close as I can get."

Wyatt scratched his chin, continuing to stare. All at once, on the screen appeared a white light, growing steadily closer. The operator sprang upright, realizing what it was.

"Bogey coming in hot, taking evasive action!" He jerked the control stick hard to the right in an attempt to get the drone out of the way, but mere moments later static filled the screen. The man leaned back in his chair, huffing, clearly irritated. Wyatt turned to Asgore, ushering him aside. Undyne watched them as the two of them conversed. The king shook his head, looking uncertain, but after another few words were spoken nodded. She stood up straighter as they approached her and the other soldier.

"Captain," Wyatt began, "we have a mission for you. It'll be dangerous, should you choose to accept it."

Undyne smirked. "I should hope so. It's been boring sitting around here waiting for something to happen."

"Recon mission. You and Raven Company will be dropped about two miles east of the compound, and approach on foot. Your only mission is to get a good look at the exterior defenses, and report back. Avoid engagement by any means necessary."

"Understood, sir."

The general smirked. "Excellent. Suit up. You depart at 0100 hours."

* * *

Frisk stuffed his hands deeper into the pockets of the blue hoodie. A soft, yet chill breeze moved along the ground. Behind him, Sans pushed his wheelchair along the hard packed snow. Frisk was still groggy, and wasn't entirely certain what had happened. He had been woken up by Sans, urgently speaking to him, requesting his presence immediately. Now, he found himself being wheeled behind Sans's house. The skeleton had allowed Frisk to borrow one of his hoodies, mentioning they may be there for a while.

He wheeled Frisk behind his home in Snowdin, through the open shed door in the back. Frisk gazed around the dimly lit room, then blinked in surprise when he saw Alphys. Old equipment had been set up around the room, the two most curious of those pieces being a large pod and a smaller version of the animal skull-like machine that Frisk had discovered in the True Lab, so many years ago.

"What's going on, guys?" Frisk queried, noticing an open black notebook on another table, surrounded by tools.

"ever since i saw you, i've been doing a lot of thinking," Sans replied. "about the angel, this war, everything. well, alphys and i were reading over gaster's old notes again, and...then we both started thinking. we know what happens when a monster absorbs a human soul. we've seen it before. but...what would happen...if a human were to absorb the soul of a monster?"

Frisk took a deep breath at the question. He had not been expecting that when he was shaken awake this morning.

"I mean...I don't know...it's never happened before. Right?"

Alphys nodded. "Q-Quite right. B-But, we were th-thinking, maybe i-if we could achieve th-this, we...we c-could bring about the p-prophesied coming of t-the angel!"

Frisk's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "You think…"

Sans stared earnestly at him. "I'm not saying it's a guarantee. we don't know if it will work. we will only continue if you want to, but...it could help ensure that we can win this fight."

"I mean...it's a possibility...but how would you get the monster soul? I mean, you told me yourself that you couldn't recreate Gaster's work."

"B-Because we d-didn't have any Determination!"

Frisk leaned forward. "Determination makes up a vast portion of human souls. Almost all of it. That, I understand...but how did Gaster manage to get the Determination himself? No humans fell before you were created, Sans."

"there were some pages that even i wasn't able to read. with alphys's help, i managed to decode them. apparently...he didn't have any, either. It was a literal fluke. a stroke of luck. i tried everything that he did on his successful attempts, nothing. well, alphys and i decided to do the math with determination. we've concluded that if we can get just the right amount...it might just work."

"Geez…"

Frisk rubbed the back of his head as Sans continued. "now, our only question is, where do we get it from now? i mean, monster souls aren't filled with dt like you humans are. neither alphys or myself can risk it on ourselves. human souls...while filled with determination, they are also filled with other things too. they don't need Determination to survive. so, we were thinking we'd get it from a human. the question would be, who? we were hoping you would know somebody."

Frisk stared down at the floor, deep in thought. Matthias would never agree to it. He had too much on his plate as it was. He couldn't dare to ask any one of the doctors, and god forbid he brought other children from the orphanage into this.

"I'll do it." The firmness of his voice even surprised himself. Sans exchanged an uneasy glance with Alphys. Eventually, she spoke up.

"F-Frisk...y...y-you've already lost much of your d-determination. It's wh-why you aren't able t-to walk! The amount that w-we would need to make th-this work…"

Frisk locked eyes with her. "If you extract what you need...would it kill me?"

She took a deep breath. "U-Uhh...l-likely, no...but D-Determination is wh-what gives one the w-will to live. If we e-extract that...y-you may lose that will."

Frisk nodded. "I watched everything fall apart in my time. I've seen things that you could not even begin to imagine. Trust me...I have nothing to lose by doing this. But if it makes you feel better, I can try to convince doctors that I can be discharged from the hospital. They've already told me anyway that there's nothing more they can do for me. Then you can just keep me around, and keep a close eye on things. Unless you have a better idea...that's all I got for you."

"alph...a word please."

Alphys nodded. The two of them walked to the second room of the shed. Sans stared up at the chronographer, looking at all the lines.

"so many outcomes...yet somehow so little time…"

"What are you thinking?"

"i'm not sure what to think. you know what my thoughts were on being used as a lab experiment, and using others as lab experiments...if we do this, it goes against all the precautions that we tried to take."

Alphys shook her head. "We may not have a choice, Sans…"

"i know. that's what bothers me. i can tell that that kid's got heart. but...what if by some freak chance, it doesn't work? what if it turns out like the dt experiments? i'm sorry, but that's not something i want to have on my conscience right now."

Alphys closed her eyes. "I-If there is o-one thing I learned while w-working for your f-f-father, it's that s-sometimes we n-n-need to make choices we don't want to make. B-besides...he has a point. Wh-what do we have to lose?"

Sans looked to the floor, contemplating everything. He ran through every single scenario in his mind. Every possible outcome. A majority of them were negative. There were so many ways things could go wrong. More than he was comfortable admitting to. But still...there was one way when things could work out, with so much at stake…

He walked back to Frisk.

"alright... we can make it work."

Frisk slowly wheeled himself over to the miniature DT Extractor. Alphys walked back into the room, following Sans to a little control panel. It wasn't anywhere near as sophisticated as the one in the lab, but both scientists hoped it would be enough. As the machine whirred to life, Frisk asked Sans:

"Will it hurt?"

Sans looked up, hesitant in his response. In the end, he decided to be honest. "yeah. it'll hurt. sorry."

Frisk nodded. He stopped next to the machine. Alphys came from behind the panel, helping to lift Frisk out of the chair and up into the machine. She stepped back, and Frisk watched from behind the single window as the machine closed in around him.


	5. Two Drained Souls

Frisk took a deep breath, the small machine hissing as it sealed himself shut. Briefly, he glanced around. It felt as though he had just been helped into a coffin. Through the small glass window, he saw Sans and Alphys, both standing behind the control panel. Alphys gave Frisk a thumbs up, though her hand trembled like a leaf. A shudder ran up Frisk's spine as he gave a curt nod, and he saw Sans flip a switch.

Frisk started as a sudden clunk ran out. Within his chest, his heart manically pounded. He gulped as a mechanical whirring flooded the chamber. The whine slowly rose an octave, and then another. He pushed his head back against the headrest, trying not to panic. Sans nodded to his compatriot.

"begin the extraction."

Above him, Frisk saw a port open. Alphys pushed a button, her voice crackling from an intercom.

"F-Frisk, you n-need to expose your s-soul so the m-machine can extract th-the Determination!"

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Alphys steeled herself as Frisk's soul slowly revealed itself in the chamber. The heart emanated a soft, blood-red glow in the chamber. It hovered just in front of Frisk, right below the port. Sans clasped his hands behind his back.

"start it slow, 25%."

Alphys took a moment to steal a glance. She was almost surprised. Like this, he looked almost like a shorter version of Gaster himself. For as long as she'd known him he'd always seemed goofy and carefree, but tt seems that some of her mentor's seriousness had indeed crossed into his creation. She turned a dial a quarter of the way up.

Inside the extractor, Frisk's breath hitched. The machine whined again, and his soul trembled. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. His chest rose and fell. Shallowly. Rapidly. A burning sensation, starting in his core, flooding his limbs. Still, he persisted.

Sans glanced to a vial, watching as it steadily filled with a murky red liquid. Alphys carefully turned the dial to a higher setting.

"V-Vitals seem alright, I w-will turn it t-to full. Q-Quicker this gets done, th-the better!"

Sans gave a hesitant nod. From the chambers, he heard Frisk whimper. The human child's hands balled up into fists. His chest heaved. A tear slid down one of his cheeks. The shaking of his soul grew more violent. Time slowly ticked by, Frisk's whimpers grew louder. Slowly, the vial filled, until finally it was too much to bear. Sans flinched at the scream of agony. He stood rigid, his own hands curling to fists, then he grabbed Alphys's shoulders.

"shut it down!"

Alphys spun around to face him, "We c-can't! If we s-stop midway th-through, it could k-kill him!"

"that machine might kill him anyway!" Sans shouted over the growing din.

"We don't h-have a choice! We're t-too far in!"

He made a noise of frustration. Alphys saw a flicker of blue in his eyes, before he huffed, shaking his head.

"hang in there, kid…"

Agonized cries rang through the air, never faltering in pain or volume. The two scientists could do nothing but watch apprehensively as the vial slowly filled itself. At last, the vial reached the marked line near the top. Right on cue, the machine died, the whining growing still. Frisk slumped forward in the machine, head hung low. The pair of monsters took deep breaths.

As soon as the machine had fully powered down, Sans sprinted around the panel, wrenching open the doors of the machine. He grunted, pushing Frisk back to keep him from falling on top of him. The child was barely conscious. He could still see the kid's soul, still red had almost completely faded away, leaving it an eerily pale pink. Sans took one of Frisk's limp hands, helping him to close his hand around his soul, letting his body absorb what energy was left.

"you did good, kid…" He looked to Alphys, currently disconnecting the vial from the machine. She gave a short nod, then slunk away to the other end of the lab, where a containment pod waited. Sans grunted, helping Frisk out from the machine and back into his wheelchair.

"hey alph, i'm going to bring him into the house, let him rest up. I'll join you in a bit."

Alphys nodded, already busy with the extracted substance. Sans wheeled Frisk outside, quickly around the front of his house. Promptly, he the door and get Frisk into the warmth. Moving with purpose he wheeled Frisk over to the couch, then helped him out of his chair to lay down.

"i'll get you a blanket. don't really have anything for the pain…" He waited for some sort of response, and got none. With a single nod, he walked upstairs. The skeleton entered his room, nabbing one of the many blankets upon his bed, dragging it back down to Frisk, whereupon he laid it over the child, stepping back. The wheelchair was kept close by.

"look...i know it wasn't easy…" Sans started, "but if you can understand me, i appreciate what you did today. this could change everything. i...i'll let you get some rest."

He backed away. Frisk's eyes were still half-open, unfocused and hazy. They seemed drained of all emotion and life, yet the steady rising and falling of the blanket was an indication that he was still amongst the living. He quickly stepped back outside.

The skeleton took a shaky breath, standing just outside in the snow. A sigh seemed to echo from him as he looked up the road at the rest of the town, mostly abandoned. Not even a year ago, and the town looked friendly and bustling with life. It was a good home, and certainly inviting. Now, though...it was nothing but a shell. In the dark, it even appeared sinister. Even the air in the region had seemed to chill.

With a shake of his head, Sans walked back around the house into the secret laboratory. Alphys had already begun to utilize the Determination with the experiments. She glanced over her shoulder.

"I-Is he going t-t-to be alright?"

"i don't know."

Silence.

Sans approached the workbench. He pulled up a second chair, sitting down beside Alphys and looked over all the tools and materials laid out. Scattered across the table were the notes from previous experiments. Sans hardly realized that his next breath sounded more like a sniffle. Alphys glanced over to him, noticing a shimmer in his eyes as he looked at the mess.

"H-Hey...cheer up! W-We got what we needed! This will ch-change everything! It's going to be okay!" Then she immediately flinched at her own words. She'd never been the one dispensing reassurance before, but Sans shook his head.

"but...it isn't okay...none of this is okay…"

Alphys opened her mouth, but before she could get a word out, Sans turned on her.

"look around you! the whole world is at war! and us monsters?! we're caught in the middle of it! and now look at us! we've resorted to experimentation, _on a child!_"

Alphys looked down as Sans continued, hot tears causing her vision to blur.

"look at what we've become! this is the exact kind of reckless experimentation that wing did! we both swore that we would never resort back to these kinds of measures! did we not?!"

"...T...this...isn't about Frisk...or the war...is it?"

Sans shook his head, slumping forward.

"n-no...it isn't. all this talk of...souls...and resets...it's dug up old feelings about...what we did all those years ago. the lives that _we_ helped ruin. we...we vowed that we would never allow it to happen again. and now here we are again, but with even higher stakes! i, i can't sleep...i can't eat...haven't relaxed properly in days...i…" He put his head in his arms on the table, openly sobbing. "...i don't know how much more of this madness i can take!

Alphys' throat clogged with emotion. Never before had she seen Sans look so...defeated, Especially in a case that most would have considered a success. Yet...she knew the feeling. It was the feeling of guilt. There had been days, weeks after Gaster's death, when she could do nothing but question herself, on why she had made such horrible choices. More than once, she had gone to the edge of the cliff faces in Waterfall and Hotland, wondering what came after this life. But every time, she managed to drag herself back from the edge.

She reached over, rubbing his back. It was a struggle to find words to speak. "At least this time...you know that what we are doing _is_ right. We _know_ what we have done here will be used for good. Not t-to mention, we have a lot more experience th-than last time. We learned f-from our past mistakes. Trust me...S-Sans...we will get it right this time." She struggled to hold confidence in her voice, and she prayed that the message got through to her friend.

Sans looked up from the table at her. She gazed back earnestly.

"since when did you become the optimist…" he mumbled.

She giggled. "Wh-When I started h-having hope again, I guess…"

He nodded, a small thought clearly in his eyes. Then in an instant, it was gone as he sighed. "c'mon. we've got work to do."


	6. Treason

The mask smelled a touch foul, as the group's equipment often did. Shrill buzzing broke the silence of the plane, prompting Undyne to abruptly rise, the other five members of Raven Company following suit. They lined up in the center of the cargo bay, facing the door. Another soldier, secured by a harness near the door, causing a grating whine to emanate from the door as it slowly slid open, revealing the night sky.

The six elites readied themself, watching a blinking red light above the tethered soldier. One more time the buzzer sounded, and the light turned green. In unison they sprinted forward, leaping out of the plane. The captain tucked her arms and legs together, allowing herself to slice through the air like a hot blade through butter.

She breathed deeply. Rapidly. Her stomach dropped as they picked up speed, tearing through the cloud cover. Far below, she could see the brightly lit nuclear compound. She dragged one of her arms through the whistling air, watching the number on a digital display rapidly dropping. As it struck 200 feet, she yanked on a cord tied to the pack.

The fluttering of silk and nylon ripped through the air. She let out a sharp grunt as her parachute stopped her short, legs kicking out in front of her. Before her hung steering lines which she expertly pulled, hooking herself hard to the right. Her eyes remained focused on a small break in the trees forming a small clearing beneath her. She continued the slow, tight spiral down before her feet finally made contact with soft grass, then walked forward a few steps, letting the chute fall to the ground behind her.

Undyne knelt down, bundling up the parachute before tucking it back into the backpack. Immediately, she took the radio pinned to the left of her chest, looking around at the tall trees around her.

"Raven One is on the ground. Other birds, check in."

"Raven Two on the ground."

"Raven Three on the ground!"

"All Ravens are in position. Raven Two, meet at the rendezvous."

The plan was simple. Six operators were to parachute behind enemy lines around the nuclear compound, and simply perform reconnaissance. She slung the silenced rifle from over her shoulder, making her way deeper into the woods. The distant glow from the compound's lights acted as a guide for her as she slunk through the darkness and up the incline.

As she neared the treeline, she flattened herself to the ground, crawling towards the opening. From the peak of the ridge, she could see one of the other soldiers already positioned waiting for her. The other four were stationed elsewhere.

"On your right," she muttered as she took her position. Baker, the soldier, glanced over his shoulder, handing her a pair of binoculars. She sighed, settling in as she looked through them at the compound. The captain shook her head as she gazed downward.

"Double reinforced walls...anti-aircraft and anti-personnel turrets at every corner...more armed subjects then you can count…" She clicked the radio again. "Raven Three, what do you see?"

Silence.

"Raven Three, check in?" A click. And then the cold metal of a gun barrel, pressed against the back of her head. She froze.

"The others will not be responding to your orders anymore, _Captain_," Baker whispered.

She slowly lowered the binoculars, keeping her eyes fixed on the compound.

"What is this…"

"Change in command. You see...myself and the others...we personally like to be on the winning side. You really believe you monsters will come out on top? Look at this place. It's a fortress. You won't be able to take it, let alone mount a successful on the continent. You will be walking into things you can't possibly imagine."

"Why are you telling me this?"

She heard the hammer on the back of the pistol click. "Because I won't have to worry about you telling anyone. Kind of hard to make statements like that when you're just a pile of dust."

Undyne chuckled. "I always had suspicions about the lot of you." She twitched one of her fingers.

"Well, I'm happy we could satisfy those," she could hear the smirk in his voice.

She flicked her finger down, and he let out a strangled grunt as a spear drove through his back, pinning him to the ground. There was a soft thud as the gun fell to the ground. With an angry huff, she slowly stood up, picking up her rifle. Then aimed it down. Baker coughed, spitting up blood as he groaned out.

"You monsters are the same...always thinking you're in the right...never admitting you've done anything wrong...you think we're the only beings around with secrets? I...I know you all have some...don't know what they are...but I know you have them…"

Undyne narrowed her eyes. "Yeah...you're right...we don't open up about all our secrets. But at least we know what side we're fighting for. I'll see you in hell."

The single gunshot was muffled, and Baker fell still, blood trickling from his head. She got on the radio one more time.

"Alright, gentlemen...you want to play Hide and Seek? Well, game on." She switched the radio off, moving deeper into the woods, but quickly she pressed her back against a close by tree. She knew they would be close...likely trying to encircle her. After a moment's pause, she dared to poke her head around the tree. With her eye having adjusted to the dark, she could just barely make out two shapes gradually moving closer. Slowly her rifle's barrel began to rise, but was quickly forced back as bullets slammed into the tree. Bark glanced off her cheek and she let out a frustrated grunt.

The silenced pings echoed back and forth through the trees as they pushed their assault. She poked around the other end, letting off a short spray before being forced to duck back in. The tree branches crossed high above her, and looking up at them an idea formed in her mind. She waited until the firing ceased, signalling the elites needed to reload, then took the few precious seconds to clamber up the tree she had hid behind, into the leaves.

By the time the two soldiers had reloaded and were ready to fight again, she was nowhere to be found. She watched, amused, from the treetops while the two began to anxiously look under every nook and cranny, searching for her. The third soldier approached from the south, speaking briefly and quietly with the two before splitting off again. Undyne cautiously maneuvered her way from tree to tree, using the thicker and closer branches as ample footing.

Then came the sudden mistake. The strap hooked to her rifle snagged on one of the smaller branches, slipping it off of her shoulder. She could only watch as it fell, silent as a knife through the air, before clattering loudly on the ground...right behind the soldiers. Immediately she whipped out her sidearm, firing two bullets into the first, and another two into the second. Both collapsed without a sound. She let out a frustrated huff.

Not wanting to risk giving herself away by moving along the ground, she stuck to the branches, searching the forest floor for signs of her remaining two adversaries. For what seemed like hours, the only sounds audible were the little night critters roamed the woods, and her guard began to slip. She let out a long sigh, leaning back against one of the trunks. Her head thunked against the trunk, and as she looked up, she frowned. A black shape moved in the treetops with her. She raised her hand, two glowing spears appearing beside her, then she thrust her hand to the sky and up the spears went, severing two of the branches.

There was a startled yelp and the shape, one of her foes, plummeted out of the trees. As he fell, the soldier bounced off of Undyne's branch, pulling her down too She managed to right herself, grunting as she hit the ground. Her opponent was not so lucky. By the time she reached him, he was already dead, his neck broken.

The cock of another automatic rifle sounded right behind her. She materialized a shield and whirled around, as the shield connected with the barrel of the rifle. The gun flew from her assailant's hand, though she was left exposed. He gave her a sharp kick to the stomach.

She grunted, rolling over backwards as he took out a pistol. She brought the shield in front of her, keeping curled up behind it as bullets flew. In her hands the shield vibrated as bullets continuously pinged off of it. Just eight shots later, and she heard a click. With a smug grin, she lowered the shield, raising her own pistol...only to hear another click. The two elites stared each other down as realization swept over them.

Undyne dropped the empty pistol, a spear taking its place. The soldier smirked mockingly.

"I thought you believed in honor, yet you cannot defeat me without the use of cheap magic tricks?"

Undyne narrowed her eyes at the taunt. She wanted to behead him, but...sometimes it felt better to do things the old fashioned way. She lowered the spear and shield, both dissolving as she cracked her neck. The pair readied themselves. Her opponent struck first, a fist flashing out to her face, followed by a swift kick. She kept one arm up, deflecting the punch away with ease, before ducking down, watching the foot fly past her head.

She kept herself close to the floor, swinging one of her own legs around to hook his legs. It worked beautifully. He let out a yelp as the soldier landed on his back, then gasped as Undyne pressed her boot against his throat, digging it in. She felt him claw at her leg, gritting her teeth as he tried to suck in air, to no avail. His gasps turned to desperate wheezes as his cheeks grew redder, then purple. She continued to dig her foot in, refusing to let up even as his struggles grew weaker with every passing second.

Finally, with one more twitch, he fell still. The captain still kept her foot on him, not taking any chances. Nearly a minute after he had fallen still did she finally let off. She stepped over the bodies, picking up an empty pistol. She kept walking forward, looking around until she picked up her rifle next to the other two bodies. Only then did she turn, sprinting back into the woods to where her extraction would be waiting. The others would have to be warned.


	7. The Compound

The metal clicked in the heels of the commander's shoes. His hands remained clasped behind his back as his cold gaze turned to one of the many doors. He slipped his keycard from his right breast pocket, sliding it through the reader. A small beep sounded, and he pushed open the door, walking into the room. Close by stood a soldier, waiting for his arrival.

"Commander Minn, apologies for the interruption."

Minn grunted, proceeding forward to the glass window stretching around the top of the control tower. He glared down at a convoy of five trucks that had been stopped at the gate.

"This is not one of my primary concerns, so inform me as to why it should be."

The soldier picked up a clipboard from the desk, staring down at it as he replied, "This convoy is nearly twenty minutes off-schedule, and they do not have adequate paperwork. They claim they were attacked, hence the missing papers and their delay."

The commander picked up a set of binoculars, using them to look closer at the trucks. They had the Defender logo on the side, but he knew it wasn't terribly hard to put an insignia on the side of a truck.

"Have they inspected the contents of the trucks?"

The soldier shook his head. "Negative, sir, they claim it's out of their paygrade."

Minn let out an exasperated groan. "Always need to do everything yourself...inform them that I am on my way."

He set the binoculars down, once more folding his arms behind his back to walk downstairs. As he stepped into the elevator his frown remained firmly set while it carried him down. The nuclear compound he had been put in command of was expecting a few more convoys to bring out some more supplies in preparation from the inevitable attack from the Peacemakers. Hearing that this convoy had been assaulted was...concerning.

As he stepped outside, a small gust of wind whispered through the open space. His gaze locked with that of the driver, and his eyes narrowed at the look he was given. A small whine echoed in his ear, and he gave his head a small tap, wondering if he was imagining things, but upon seeing one of his guards looking up he realized no, he was not imagining things. He followed the gaze as the whine turned into a distant scream, spotting four glints in the sunlight. An instant later, a flak explosion rang out close to one of the lights.

The flak guns pummelled the skies as the jets began their assault. A low rumble sounded from the jets, and seconds later bullets slammed into the concrete by the walls and guard towers. The wail klaxon rang out, loud enough to wake the dead.

One of the jets burst into flame. Minn watched with a smug grin as it careened towards the ground. The grin quickly faded when he saw where it would land. He sprinted to the left, forced to dive out of the way. The burning fuselage barrelled into the ground, exploding in a roar of kerosene and metal. High above, the remaining three jets banked hard to the right, no doubt coming back for another pass.

Commotion sounded from the gate. His gaze shifted back to the front, and his jaw dropped. From the back of one of the trucks, a monster had leaped out and gunned down two of the guards standing by the gate. Minn whipped out his pistol and turned it on the monster, but couldn't stop his hand from shaking as he saw more soldiers leaping from the other trucks. The sound of boots on concrete echoed from behind him, and within seconds, the compound was ablaze with lead.

* * *

The king stood, arms folded as he stared down at the several radio transmitters in front of him in the command center. Asgore's gaze turned up towards the horizon, spying the compound in the trees. Black flak explosions echoed in the distance, appearing incrementally in the skies.

Less than two days ago, Undyne had returned from her recon mission...alone. She was quick to tell Asgore about what had happened. Both he and General Stone had agreed the assault on the compound would need to take place as soon as possible...and now the attack was well underway. He blinked, his brow furrowing as the flak explosions suddenly stopped, and he reached for one of the radios.

"Captain, sitrep." There was static for a few moments, before Undyne's voice came through.

"We've taken the south gun emplacements! Looks like Delta Company took the North."

Asgore nodded to Wyatt, who took the radio from him.

"Excellent news. Rejoin the main force. They'll need any help they can get taking that compound."

The general replaced the radio, glancing over to the king. "You look anxious, your majesty."

Asgore grunted. "It does not feel right to stand behind and watch from afar. My father, and his father before him, would be charging into battle. I should be there with them."

Wyatt sighed. "Well, I hate to say it, but times have changed greatly from the days of the monarchies. Perhaps for the better."

Asgore chuckled. "Perhaps for you. But your societies were able to advance with others. Ours...well, we never got that chance."

Wyatt said nothing, but looked visibly more uncomfortable, his eyes focused on the distant battlefield. The seconds ticked by, and he was finally forced to speak up.

"I hope your kind does not hold a grudge against our current generation. The decision to go to war was not our own. After word of the true scale of the atrocities got out...well, we overthrew our monarchies, and formed a new global map, the one that stands today..wars like this were supposed to have been eliminated forever."

For just a moment Asgore's glance darted over, then he locked his eyes forward. "I do not blame you for what has happened. To punish a younger generation for something their parents did is unjust. It would not be proper of a king to act in such a manner. Still...I do appreciate the apology."

Stone chuckled. "Well, I am glad that now, monsters and humans can fight side-by-side for a better cause."

Asgore's voice almost sounded distant. "Yes...indeed." As they continued to watch the battlefield, Asgore felt himself drowning in his own hypocrisy.

* * *

The buzzer rang as the door closed and locked. It wouldn't buy Minn much time. He had to make it quick. Briskly, he walked back to the control room, calling into a radio ahead of him.

"Get General Redgate on the line." He kept his pace that of a brisk walk as he turned down the many hallways. It didn't take long to get to the control room, and he made his way inside. One of the guards was already holding a phone up for him. Minn grabbed the phone, putting it to his ear.

"The compound is lost. We can't fend them off. They've already breached the walls, I estimate no more than fifteen minutes until we're all either dead or captured."

Victor's voice was cold as he replied. "Then they have sealed their fates. Launch the missiles immediately. If our campaign on Croania is to fail, then we shall leave them with a parting gift. You should already have the targets?"

"Yes, sir. So I have your order to fire?"

"At once."

Minn slammed the phone down, nodding to the guard. A loud boom rocked the structure. The Defenders were inside. The pair walked to a control panel. They both took keys out, sliding them into ignition slots. Minn's voice was authoritative.

"Turn on three. One, two, three." The two keys clicked simultaneously. Minn lifted up a plastic panel covering a flashing red button. He pushed it down, and instantly all the lights shut off in the compound, replaced with warning alarms and red illuminators. Almost immediately after, another explosion rang, this time from the control room door. Peacemaker soldiers, both human and monster stormed into the room. Minn spun around, raising his hands in smug surrender. His grin didn't waver as Undyne approached him. She snarled.

"What have you done?"

Minn scoffed, "I've done as I have been ordered. I do hope you enjoy our last hurrah."

He broke out in laughter as Undyne's face grew more twisted in fury. In an instant, she whipped out her pistol, putting a bullet between the commander's eyes.


	8. Countdown

Alphys let out a tired sigh, resting her chin on her palms. Her flickering gaze remained transfixed on the containment pod, watching the fragments hovering inside. She sat up as she heard the creak of the shed door opening, and heard an equally heavy sigh from Sans as he closed the door behind her.

"How is he?" she queried. He shook his head.

"not good. went to check on him, i swear i thought he had stopped breathing on his own. the kid's gettin' worse alph. we need to do something to speed this up, or he ain't going to last another week like this."

Alphys looked back to the pod. "Y-You know as well as I, Sans, we ca-can't rush this process. We know the consequences of doing that."

Sans grunted, plopping down in a second chair. "i know. doesn't change the fact that he won't last. i wonder if…" His voice trailed away as a buzzing emitted from Alphys's pocket. She fished around in the lab coat, pulling her phone out. Immediately, she fumbled with it, putting it to her ear.

"Your h-highness! How can I-I be of service?"

Asgore's voice was grim. "I need you at the forward operating base immediately. How soon can you get there?"

Alphys's voice raised an octave. "I-I don't kn-know! I'm at M-Mount Ebott, is there a-anyway to get an a-aircraft over there?"

Asgore growled, "Already asked, no time."

She put her hand over the speaker. "Sans, can you shortcut m-me to the Forward Operating Base? My presence i-is required."

Sans shook his head. "i can't, never been there. though...i could let you take a lift with a friend."

He snapped his fingers, and a Gaster Blaster appeared next to him. She stared at it, mouth agape. Surely he must be joking.

"Are you still there, Doctor?"

"Y-Yes! I'm still h-here! I...I-I'm on my way!"

She slowly hung the phone up. Sans jerked his head to the creature.

"why're you still gawking? get on the thing. it'll get you there in no time."

She uncertainly walked towards the blaster, reaching out her hand to stroke it's boney muzzle. It let out a small huff, and the scientist climbed up onto the back of the skull. Clutching onto the horns, she let out a yelp as it suddenly turned around, darting away. Sans watched it go, then fell back in his chair, letting out a tired sigh. He took his turn to watch the pod.

He shook his head. He didn't tell Alphys just how bad it really was. Frisk was already refusing to eat or drink anything. The skeleton basically had to force his friend to keep himself alive. Without the will to live...there was nothing to motivate Frisk to keep on going. Sans knew that it was only a matter of time before Frisk's lack of Determination killed him from the inside out...or before Frisk finished the job himself.

* * *

Alphys clung tight to the Gaster Blaster, astonished by its speed carrying her as it darted over the landscape. Soon she adjusted to the force of the wind in her face, and while she still had to hold on, she could do so more easily. Rapidly increasing in size, she spied the lights of the Peacemaker base just up ahead of her. She grunted as the skull slowed dramatically as it flew to the roof of the base. It then lowered itself, setting her down on the ground. She stumbled slightly as she stepped off of the blaster. Carefully, she took a deep breath, giving a thankful nod to it. The blaster gave another grunt, and vanished.

A few moments later, a soldier ran to her. "Are you Doctor Almaro?"

Alphys nodded. "Y-Yes, that's me. Wh-What is wrong?"

The soldier turned around, glancing over his shoulder. "Follow me at once, please." He set off at a brisk walk. Alphys nearly had to run to keep up with the taller human. He led her towards one of the larger buildings. The scientist ducked inside after the soldier, who led her to a computer that had a program running on it. A phone was waiting with her. After glancing at some of the other faces, she took a seat behind it, picking up the phone.

"Hello?"

Asgore's voice came from the other end. "Good, you're here. Now I can brief you. We launched an attack on the nuclear compound. Just before we could take it, the base commander primed the compound's nukes for launch. The process has already begun. Luckily for us, we've got some time. It seems to be a safe guard in the event of a false launch to give the personnel time to abort."

Alphys was perplexed. "Wh-What about this c-commander? Would h-he not be able to shut down the l-launch?"

"No. The commander is dead, and the other personnel are not budging. The computer you are sitting in front of, as I understand, should be running a program to patch you into the compound's network. I need you to shut down the launch from there."

Alphys could practically feel herself growing pale. "I...I-I…"

Asgore's voice came through again. Firm, yet reassuring. "Alphys, I've seen what programming you have been able to put into the CORE. You've made so many digital upgrades that I would not even be able to tell what it once was. I trust that you can do this, but I need you to focus. If you do not...then we are all going to die today."

"...H...H-How much time do I h-have…" Her voice was barely a croak.

"As far as we can tell, twenty minutes."

Alphys took a shaky breath, setting the phone down. She set a timer on her own phone. "_No pressure…"_ Her eyes glued to the screen, watching as the decoder slowly did its work. Thankfully, the program had been running before she arrived, so it was only mere seconds before she was fully patched into the interface.

Immediately her hands went to work. There was much to sift through, and she only had so long. She could feel the eyes in the room searing into her as she scrambled to find what she was looking for. A minute passed, then two...three...four...five...six...then suddenly,

"There you are…" the exclamation was mumbled, partially meant simply to ease her own nerves. Fourteen minutes on the clock. She dove into the launch codings, spotting what she was searching for within minutes. A few ones turned into zeroes would be able to do the trick…

"_D-DAMNIT!"_ Her shout made several of the soldiers jump. She immediately grabbed the phone again.

"The C-Commander's body! Wh-What happened to it?!"

Asgore's voice was one of puzzlement. "As far as I am aware, he is where he fell. Why?"

"Patch me through t-to Undy-, I mean, C-Captain Vernilot!"

* * *

Undyne paced back and forth in the room, watching the timer slowly tick away on the screen. Just five minutes remaining. A voice suddenly screamed into her ear, making her shout.

"_UNDYNE! ARE YOU THERE?!_"

She recognized Alphys's voice, and snapped back, "Yes I'm here! Why are you trying to make me deaf?!"

She shut up when she heard the rising fear in Alphys's voice. "L-Listen to me very closely! I c-c-can disable the launch f-from here, but if I try t-to do it straight away, it w-will trigger another safeguard wh-which will cause the nukes to self-destruct, taking th-that compound down w-with it!"

Undyne grew pale. "What do you need?"

"Th-The base c-commander! Where is h-he?!" She looked down, nudging the body laying in a puddle of blood forming around his head.

"Right here. Why?"

"O-Okay, somewhere on the c-central control p-panel there, you should s-s-see a bl-black panel. That is a f-fingerprint scanner. I n-need you to take one of his f-fingers and press it against that sc-scanner to bypass the block! Hurry!"

Undyne sprang into action, immediately grabbing the corpse. She dragged it around one of the smaller desks to the main panel. She felt her own panic rising as she searched high and low for the panel amidst the multiple switches, dials, buttons, and...well, other panels. At last though, she found it. Three minutes on the clock. She flipped it up, and took one of the commander's thumbs, jamming it against the scanner.

"Anything?!" she hollered back into the radio.

A tense moment passed, broken by Alphys' relieved tone. "Y-Yes, that's helped."

Undyne smirked. "Now what?!"

"Shut up and let me focus!"

* * *

Alphys quickly bypassed the final safeguard, delving into the launch programming. She couldn't remember the last time her fingers had moved this fast over a keyboard. The seconds continued to tick away. Three minutes turned to two...and soon that turned to ninety seconds. The countdown grew closer, and closer to the deadly zero. One minute.

She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, before spotting the line of code that she was searching for. Thirty seconds. She searched for the digit to change. In her shakiness, she knocked the keyboard from the table. One of the soldiers looked away. She dove to the floor, grabbing the keyboard.

"Doctor?!" One of the soldiers asked anxiously. Ten seconds. She prayed the cursor was in the right place. She hit the delete button, punched in a zero, then hit enter. She squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath. Her timer rang. Time was up. She slowly opened one of her eyes, setting the keyboard back at the desk. She backed out, searching for the countdown. When she found it, she nearled sobbed in relief. Just six seconds were left on the frozen timer. She let out a weary chuckle...and then promptly passed out.


	9. The Truth

"No. Absolutely not," Wyatt stated firmly as he walked through the main encampment, the whole area bustling with excitement. With the continents of Croania and Eroth safe, the next step would be a massive offensive on Klazun, the Defenders' home country on the continent Ephin. Asgore had expressed to the general a desire to be a part of the main landing force. Obviously, Wyatt was less than pleased. The king followed after the general, arguing his case.

"General, I have been trained for combat since I was a child. I can handle this task."

Wyatt rounded on him. "With all due respect..._your majesty_...that was back in the days where swords were still commonplace. Times. Are. Different. You are too important to risk your life on the front lines!"

Asgore narrowed his eyes. "And with all due respect, General, this is not a choice that is yours to make! This is in my blood! My father gave his life protecting his people, and I'm sure my grandfather would have done the same! It is more than just another battle. This is a part of our heritage. Surely you would not deny me this honor!"

"It is hardly an honor, sire. I have seen how humans like to wage war today, and I can promise you, it is still very different from what you have seen. If they see you, recognize you, you will become their main target."

Asgore's determined glare was unwavering. "Then in that regard, little will have changed from the wars of old."

Seeing that this was a fight he would not win, the general closed his eyes. "If something goes wrong...if we are forced to retreat...I can not promise that you will return with the others."

"I understand. There are never any guarantees in wartime," he said without pause.

The general looked up at the king, and felt a sense of admiration for his dedication and loyalty towards his people. He wondered if he would have been able to force himself to do the same.

"I know that even if I say no, you will go anyway. So I may as well approve it. I will put you in command of the monster garrisons. You will coordinate with my sergeants on the battlefield to ensure that hopefully, this invasion goes off without a hitch."

Asgore let out a smug victory grin, turning around and starting to walk away.

"Hey," Wyatt called after him. "A lot of people are going to die in a couple days...make sure you aren't one of them for me."

Asgore looked back over his shoulder, but Wyatt had already preoccupied himself with other matters.

* * *

Soft snores echoed around the shed. The skeleton's body minutely shifted as he slumped against the table, having fallen asleep during his observations. Two more days had passed. Recently he'd observed new developments with the fragments, he just hoped it was what he'd been waiting for. He started when an eerily familiar voice suddenly spoke, breaking into his dream.

"Most impressive."

He sat up, blinking his eyes. With a yawn, he spun his chair around jumping out of it when he saw who stood in front of him. Gaster chuckled.

"Jumpy today, are we?"

Sans stared at his creator in shock, looking him up and down. "W….W-What? H-How?"

Gaster shook his head. "Another time, perhaps. To be frank, I am surprised that Frisk never told you before, considering the discussions we have had in the past."

He walked forward, past Sans to the workbench, and gazed at the containment pod, and at the soul which had almost completely taken its shape.

"As I said...most impressive. I see you managed to find the missing link from my work! I...never did figure that out myself."

Sans cautiously followed him back, also looking at the progress. Gaster then turned to him.

"So. You wish to make a soul for the human. Why?"

Sans played dumb. "What do you mean?"

Gaster scoffed. "Come on, Sans, you and I both know that you are smarter than that. I should know, I made you after all. Was the human's soul not sufficient enough? Why bother going to such lengths to make another?"

Sans shrugged. "I've been thinking. About the prophecy and all that. Y'know, i just kind of thought...what if it needed something to kickstart it? So i started working on this soul. I think frisk might be the angel we've been waiting for. Not yet, but with this...maybe."

Gaster almost looked disappointed. "I see. So you go through all this effort just so you can attempt to aid in fulfilling what some may interpret as a doomsday prophecy. Son...did you ever take the time to consider that, perhaps, this prophecy...was false?"

Sans furrowed his brow. "Whad'ya mean?"

Gaster kept his gaze transfixed on the pod. "I mean, this prophecy was first spoken of in the days of Ausgrid. People were different back then. Did you know that some thought this would come true when the king was assassinated? Hardly. Back then, people needed to believe in something for when times became hard, because they didn't know any better. It was rational for them. Yet somehow, it has endured in our culture even to this very day."

Weariness weighed at his bones. He slumped back down in his chair.

"So...yer tellin' me...that we've done all this work...for a prophecy that...was never real in the first place?"

"To put it politely...yes."

He tried to mask his anger. "Then what was the point?"

Gaster turned to him. "You tell me."

"I...I don't understand."

"Well, surely you did not begin this project solely for this...prophecy," Gaster chuckled. "Like me, you always have your own goals in mind. So, why did you do it?"

Sans was caught off-guard by the question. "Uh...well...we...as in me and alph, both know that the campaign on Ephin will be a flop with all the defenses stacked up there. A monster with a human soul may not look the best. So...maybe a human with a monster soul? It's just a theory, but one that might just work."

Gaster's grin faded. "So...you intend to use him as a weapon."

"What? Of course...not...he's...he's just...okay yeah he's a weapon, but he volunteered to do it!" Sans shot back.

Gaster almost seemed amused, a smirk crossing his features as Sans said Frisk _volunteered_. "Say your plan works. What happens after? To the soul and to Frisk."

Sans remained silent. Truth be told, he had never fully considered this. Gaster shook his head.

"You forgot one of the most fundamental rules. How will this impact things in the future? Surely Frisk could not keep the power. People would come for him to use it for their own needs, and before you know it, you would be fighting against your own creation. But just giving it away...well you and I both know this is easier said than done. Monsters could not absorb the soul, being that of a monster, and any human that takes it would face the same issues as Frisk."

Sans grunted, turning away back to the desk. "I'll cross that bridge when i get to it."

Gaster let out a heavy sigh. "You bear a heavy burden on your shoulders. Just...be cautious when moving forward. Remember what I told you. Do not make the mistakes that I made."

With another start, as Sans jerked awake, this time for real. A small beeping echoed from the containment pod. The clear contained cast a weak glow, drawing Sans's attention. He nearly fainted when he saw it. There it was. A monster soul, fully formed. The heart-shaped object floated upside-down in the pod. This was his first time truly seeing such a thing.

He let out a nervous chuckle. With this complete, he could enact the final step of his plan. He stood up, starting for the doors, then paused. The familiar words echoed back through his mind, crossing through it over and over again. Then he huffed. This was the only way. He opened the door to the shed, going to get his friend.


	10. The Dropping Penny

A salty smell assaulted Undyne's nostrils as she exited the stairwell onto the deck. On the horizon, the sky was stained purple by the early dawn. She could see the coastline of Klazun just ahead of them, a massive stretch of sand reaching out before rocky ridges, fortified with bunkers. Nobody else was on the top deck, spare for a single monster, and she sighed.

She approached him, standing at attention.

"Your Majesty, you have been advised to move below deck to join the main force. The bombardments are about to begin."

Asgore turned around, cape flowing in the breeze behind him. He walked past Undyne...then stopped.

"You are afraid?"

The question caught her off. She shook her head. "No, sire...what gives you the idea?"

"Your hand is shaking." She glanced down to her right fist, and managed to stop the shaking.

"Apologies."

"What have you to be sorry for? General Stone said himself that this will likely be not just the deadliest battle of the war, but one of the bloodiest invasions in all of history, even more so than when humans first landed in Tarus and Paral in 1811. I think deep down, we are all a little afraid. Though...I am curious. What exactly are you afraid of?"

Undyne was silent, but from Asgore's stillness she could tell he would not leave until he had an answer.

"I fear for your safety, your majesty. You are the future of our people. With no heir to take the throne...if you are killed, who will lead us?"

Asgore was silent, himself. When he spoke, it was not a response she expected to hear.

"What about your own safety? You are just as likely to be killed. Do you not fear for your own life?"

Undyne huffed. "With all due respect, your highness...I do not."

"Why?"

"...You and I have both done things, your majesty. I do not need to go into detail...I think we both know what I refer to. If I am to be killed...I would see it as decent payback for the crimes."

Asgore turned to face her. "You feel guilty."

She met his gaze. "Do you not?"

He took the helmet from under his arm, sliding it onto his head. "More than you know, Captain. More than you know." He proceeded to the stairwell, disappearing below deck. She glanced back to the coast, then followed him. As she closed the door, the first firings of cannons caused the ship to rock.

* * *

The water in the black pool rippled. Peering grimly, intently, into it was a skeleton monster. Reflected within the pool was a vast armada of battleships, carriers, and destroyers. Almost too many to count. The joint naval force was crossing the Donnoval Pass, a stretch of ocean between Ephin and Eroth.

A thought flickered through Gaster's mind. Instantly the image changed, now displaying the decks of one of the larger cruisers. The top deck was emptier than usual, with just about every officer and soldier below deck preparing for the land invasion. Only one visible figure remained on the deck.

A crown situated atop a furry head. Iron armor glinted in the ship's lights as the king glared out over the water. One hand clutched a sword held to his side by a belt. Tucked under his other arm, an elegant helmet. Behind him, a cape flowed, sporting the royal colours of purple and gold. On the breastplate, the royal emblem. The armour covered every possible inch of the king's body, even including metal gauntlets and greaves. It was the armour that had been gifted to him by his father so many years ago, armour that never gotten to see its true worth in battle.

Gaster continued to observe as Undyne, dressed in her standard military outfit, approached him. Asgore began to walk towards a stairwell, then stopped. Silent words were exchanged. From the expressions, he could guess the subject. At the end of the discussion, the king slid the helmet on, then headed below the deck. His captain followed.

One more time the reflection shifted, showing the entire naval force. All at once, the large ships trained their guns towards the south. Smoke and fire exploded from the barrels of the cannons, as shells began to fly into the air, no doubt heading for the unseen coastline.

And the shells were just the beginning.

A presence announced itself, but Gaster did not need to look to know who the hooded figure was.

"The attack will succeed." The other's voice sounded firm, confident.

"Their victory will be temporary. You and I both know this. There are too many forces stacked against them elsewhere in the nation."

"You should have more faith in them."

"Perhaps you give them too much of yours." Gaster turned to Ausgrid. "You claim the war will be successful. Now, I do not doubt that one way or another, monsters will come out on top. But how many lives will be needlessly lost? You know as well as I do that the ongoing attack is all across the continent. Even with our help, there will be tens of thousands of lives lost. Without it?...I do not even want to think of it."

Ausgrid growled, "And what do you suppose we do about it? Remember, we are not typically supposed to interfere with time's plans."

Gaster scoffed. "You say that as if we have not done so time and time again. Face it. The time for abiding by meager rules is over. The general puts it best. Times have changed. Just as they have to change with them, so do we!"

Ausgrid looked back to the pool, watching as the shells pummelled the defenses along one of the many ridges.

"Is that why you lied to Sans?"

Gaster narrowed his eyesockets. "I do not know what you are talking about."

"I am not. Stupid. My friend. You forget that I know _all_. I _see_ all. Do not think for a second that you can go behind my back to bring about your own agenda."

"He needed a push. I gave it to him. You did the same thing when Frisk was trapped in the void," Gaster insisted.

"Even so...what do you suppose we do about this apparent predicament you speak of?"

"I propose that we go down there and give them some help! I am through sitting back and allowing those I care about to be hurt! If time has a plan, I intend to make it succeed. No matter the cost."

Ausgrid slowly glanced at him. "And what will happen when our interference begins to harm more than help?"

Gaster stood up straighter. "I will not allow it to come to that."

"...We shall see. We...shall...see."

* * *

"C'mon buddy, give me at least some minimal effort here," Sans grunted, heaving Frisk off of the couch, propping him up in the wheelchair. The child was blank-faced and pale. His hair by now was unkempt, and only his breathing suggested that he was still alive. Sans walked around behind the wheelchair, wheeling his friend out through the front door into the snow.

Immediately he turned to the right, pushing Frisk behind the house and into the shed, closing the doors behind him. He then pushed Frisk forward towards the workbench. He walked around in front of him, lifting up the containment pod showing it to Frisk, hoping for some sort of reaction. It took a moment, but there seemed to be a flicker of life, and then a croak.

"A...A soul…"

Sans chuckled. "not just any soul...yours…"

"M...Mine?" Frisk asked, shifting his glazed gaze to the skeleton. Sans nodded.

"yeah. remember? you gave me and alphys much of your determination to make it. this...is what you helped make. and now you get to use it."

Frisk shook his head. "I don't want to...I just want to fade...I was never even supposed to make it back here...none of this is supposed to be happening…"

Sans huffed, and tried to keep the irritation from his tone. "i know, i know. thing is though, it is happening. now frisk, you need to listen to me. all those friends that you made, all the work you've done...if you don't absorb this soul, it will all be for nothing. right now, they are going to attack the defenders. if you don't absorb this soul...then sooner or later, they are all going to die, and we'll be next. so please...see reason...and take the soul."

Sans opened the containment pod. The soul let out a pale glow as it hovered in front of the stricken child. Frisk only stared at it, mesmerized. Sans knelt down, and his words distracted Frisk's gaze for a moment.

"c'mon pal… please… do it for me… for alphys… undyne… papyrus… asgore… tori… everyone that's gone… and everybody that will come… do it for them… please… make sure that there is a future for them to cling to. Keep their hope alive, do not let the little flame die out."

Frisk turned back to the soul. His arm shook weakly as he raised it from the wheelchair bringing the soul closer to him. A small smile spread across his face. He opened his fingers, and closed them around the soul. A blinding light filled the room, followed by an invisible shockwave...and everything went dark.


End file.
